I'll Do it For Him
by Russia-kolkhoz
Summary: Alternate scenario in which the Magic Council decides to execute Jellal instead of sentencing him to life in prison. But Erza won't let him go so easily... Takes place after Jellal's arrest in the Oracion Seis arc. Pairing is Jerza.
1. Chapter 1

What Erza needed most right now was time.

She had been spending a lot of time alone since the incident. At times like these, she couldn't help but remember her first lonely months at the guild, those months of sitting and crying all by herself at the riverbank.

She wasn't crying now. There were no more tears left in her after that sorrowful scarlet morning. No tears, just memories flooding her mind.

The blue guild mark on her arm signified her role as a Fairy Tail mage first and foremost. The guild was her family; they'd taken her in when she'd had nowhere else to go. She owed them everything, and yet…the choice had been the hardest one of her whole life. Family or…or…

 _It was the color of your hair._

Recalling those words caused her to bite her lip hard. Why did he have to say that before he was shut up in the darkness again? And his expression while saying it had been completely devoid of accusation even though she was the one who had allowed him to be taken away. It was an expression that she couldn't forget even if she tried. The innocent smile, that old sparkle in his eyes—for a moment, she'd seen the old Jellal resurface from the depths of his muddled mind.

And then she'd had to watch that Jellal disappear again, to stare at his back while he fearlessly took that fateful step into the Magic Council's carriage. The echo of his boot on the carriage floor had reverberated deep inside her heart, telling her that she would never see him again.

She gazed at her reflection in the river. Her long, beautiful scarlet hair framed her face and waved gently in the breeze. Erza Scarlet. As long as she had this name, she would be connected to him by the red thread of fate.

"Jellal…" she whispered, hoping that the wind would carry the word to him.

Her grieving period was abruptly interrupted by a familiar voice. "Erza!"

She stood quickly and turned around to see Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Happy there. Lucy appeared to be a little winded, so Erza could tell that they'd come here in a hurry. From the looks on their faces, she could also deduce that something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" she addressed her team.

Natsu, who was the one who'd called out to her, was clutching today's newspaper in his hand. He handed it to her wordlessly.

Erza's heart nearly stopped when her eyes caught the headline and the accompanying picture.

"S-CLASS CRIMINAL JELLAL FERNANDES TO BE EXECUTED," read the black, bold lettering. Underneath was a photograph of the Magic Council's armed forces arresting Jellal.

 _Executed?_ No, he'd just gone to jail…they couldn't have sentenced him to death that quickly. This had to be a horrible nightmare or some kind of joke. Erza shut her eyes tightly for a few seconds and then opened them again, but the accursed words still remained. Her fingers fell limp and released their grip on the newspaper, letting it drift to the ground.

Lucy laid a hand on her shoulder softly. "Erza…I'm so sorry," she murmured.

"Let's go kick the Council's asses!" roared Natsu. The Fire Dragon Slayer had that dangerous gleam in his eye, the one he got when he was all fired up.

Gray was more measured in his response. "It's not your choice to make, Natsu. It's Erza's." Having said that, he turned to Erza. "So, what will you do, Erza?"

"We'll follow your lead," Natsu proclaimed, conceding. He hated when Gray was right.

Happy agreed with a signature "Aye sir!"


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of Fairy Tail's main team waited in the guild hall as Erza discussed the issue at hand with Makarov in the Master's room. Lucy sat at a table in silence, anxiously eyeing the door to the room. Gray sat opposite her, occasionally tapping a finger on the tabletop. Natsu paced the floor impatiently while Happy clung onto his head.

Erza hadn't said a word on the way back to the guild. None of the others could possibly comprehend how she must have been feeling after receiving the news, but they did know that it had deeply affected her just from the tension present in her stride.

In the Master's room, Erza was struggling to find the right words to say. "Master…" she began.

"Something is obviously troubling you," Makarov cut in. He gestured for her to take a seat and hopped onto his desk so as to speak with her at eye level. "What is it, child?"

She put the newspaper, slightly damp from its prior fall to the riverbank, on the desk in front of him. He skimmed it and then mused, "Jellal Fernandes, huh…? He means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"Yes," answered Erza without hesitation. Then she averted her gaze. "But I don't know what to do now. If I stop his execution, I'll be directly opposing the Magic Council. Our guild will be labeled criminals and everyone will be in danger."

Makarov put a diminutive hand on her cheek, prompting her to look back at him. "Then let's start with the simplest question. Do you want to save him?"

She nodded once, resolutely.

His lips curved up in a soft smile behind his mustache. "You've already betrayed your heart once by letting him go, Erza. Don't do it again. Live honestly."

Erza inhaled sharply at his words. "Master, how could you tell me to jeopardize the safety of our whole guild for my own selfish desire to save one man?"

"You're not being selfish at all, Erza," Makarov admonished her. "Saving someone else's life is the most selfless thing a person can do." He turned to the large, outward-facing window behind his desk. "And you would do nothing but honor Fairy Tail's legacy if you were to risk everything to save a precious friend."

Staring at his small silhouette against the bright white sunlight pouring in from the window, Erza was stunned into speechlessness. After a lengthy silence, she managed a flustered but grateful "Thank you, Master."

Makarov chuckled. "Our guild is always getting into trouble with the Council anyway. A little more infamy wouldn't hurt." He turned to face her. "Go tell the other brats about your predicament. I'm sure many of them would be happy to help."

With one final bow of gratitude, Erza exited the room. Her team immediately crowded around her when she emerged.

Natsu was the first to speak. "What is it, Erza? Are we gonna kick some Council ass?"

The Requip mage frowned at him disapprovingly. "Our main priority is to rescue Jellal. If that happens to involve 'ass-kicking,' as you call it, then so be it. But I'd like to settle this with as little violence as possible."

"We're going against the Council…" Lucy muttered, worry written across her face.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Erza assured her hurriedly.

A spark of resolve manifested itself in the Celestial Spirit mage's brown eyes. "No, I'll come. It's the right thing to do."

Gray grinned widely. "We're all behind you, Erza. For better or for worse."

Natsu suddenly grabbed the newspaper from Erza's hand and ran up to the request board. Without need of a command, Happy, who was still perched on his head, grabbed a tack and pinned the newspaper to the board while Natsu held it down. The Fire Dragon Slayer high-fived his partner and then proceeded to bellow in a voice that flooded the guild hall. "Guys!"

Every head in the guild pivoted to face him. Mirajane put down the glass she was cleaning; Cana relinquished her keg of beer; Levy looked up from her book of runes; Juvia came out from her favorite stalking place. All eyes were trained on Natsu now.

Natsu indicated the newspaper, slamming it forcefully with an open palm. "This is Erza's request! Will you help her complete it?"

The guild approached as a unit to get a better look at the article. When understanding dawned on all of them, an army of fists pumped into the air.

"Yeah!" rang the collective shout. It could be heard throughout all of Magnolia. This was the undying spirit of love and friendship, the very essence of Fairy Tail.

For the first time since Jellal's arrest, Erza was crying. Witnessing the fiery determination in everyone's eyes and the unwavering support in their smiles, she proclaimed through her tears, "I love you all."

Back in his office, the Master smiled. "Good luck, brats."


	3. Chapter 3

At the crack of dawn the next day, the guild was already packed.

Erza addressed the crowd gathered around the request board, indicating the newspaper. "Jellal's execution is scheduled for 9:00 this morning in the town center. We need to be there at least half an hour before then, as I suspect that that will be approximately when they'll transfer him out of confinement to the execution platform. Now, a Council member will presumably make a speech before they execute such a high-profile criminal. We will rescue Jellal during that time." She eyed Natsu pointedly, emphasizing her next words. "Remember that our goal is to save Jellal. There will be armed guards, of course, but only use as much force as is necessary to get past them. I know that precision is not our guild's forte; just try not to destroy too many things or injure too many people, especially civilians. Master will have enough to deal with afterwards as it is."

The Requip mage paused, considering something, as everyone nodded in affirmation. "If we all go at once, it will look suspicious. Therefore, I suggest that we form teams that leave for the town square in ten-minute increments starting at 7:00."

Upon hearing this, Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Happy instinctively came to Erza's side. Levy was joined by Gajeel, Jet, and Droy. Mirajane and Elfman paired up. The Raijinshuu (sans Laxus) stuck together. Wendy looked a bit lost— she was still new to the guild, after all— but was relieved when Erza invited her over to join Fairy Tail's main team. Juvia fidgeted and gazed longingly at Gray until Erza allowed her to tag along with a knowing smile. The rest of the members filed into separate teams in rapid succession.

When the teams were all set, Erza assigned them numbers that represented the order in which they would leave. Her team was the largest, so she decided that they would go last, when the crowd was already dense, to avoid drawing too much attention. Natsu didn't look too happy about that, but she shot him a glare to shut him up.

7:00 arrived, and the Raijinshuu left first. Erza waited quietly, stewing in her thoughts about the man with blue hair. When she really considered the situation, she was tempted to laugh at the absurdity of it. After Jellal's arrest, she'd been almost certain that she'd never see him again, and now here she was, leading the whole force of Fairy Tail to save him. Fate worked in mysterious ways.

Levy's team left next, followed by Mirajane's ten minutes later. As more and more teams departed, the guild grew quieter and quieter until the ticking of the clock on the back wall could be heard, an extremely rare occurrence in Fairy Tail. The main team (plus their two tagalongs) stood by in tense anticipation.

Finally, the clock's hands inched their way to 8:10, signaling the last group to exit the guild. Titania, the Fairy Queen, rose from her seat and led her most trusted friends out of the double doors, resisting the urge to start running.

The most crucial hour of her life had come.


	4. Chapter 4

As expected, the town square was filled with chattering people when Erza's group arrived. Armed guards from the Magic Council were posted at every entrance to the plaza, and security was especially tight around the base of the execution platform.

Erza's team weaved through the dense crowd, encountering several clusters of fellow guildmates on their way to the front. With less than ten minutes before Jellal's presumed appearance on the platform, Erza could feel her heart thumping louder and louder in her chest. She clenched her fists tightly, hoping she'd be able to maintain her composure upon seeing him again.

After what seemed like an eternity, a small contingent of Magic Council forces walked into the square from the entrance closest to the platform, led by a familiar face— Captain Lahar of the Custody Enforcement Unit, the man responsible for Jellal's arrest. Erza caught a glimpse of bright blue hair protruding out from the center of the group of guards, and a bead of sweat formed on her forehead.

The guards disappeared behind the platform. Seconds later, the sound of several pairs of feet on the wooden stairs leading up to the platform reverberated throughout the plaza. Lahar was the first to come into view, and then…

There he was. Jellal Fernandes, in the flesh. His eyes were downcast, his tall figure slouched. His hands were firmly locked together in anti-magic handcuffs. Even from her much lower position in comparison to the platform, Erza could tell that he was much the worse for wear; they'd mistreated him in prison. The pain of that realization almost made her blood boil.

A hush fell upon the formerly boisterous crowd as Lahar made his way to the front of the platform. The duo of sword-wielding executioners, who had ascended the steps after Jellal, took their places on either side of the blue-haired man.

In a loud, clear tone, Lahar commenced his pre-execution speech. "Citizens of Magnolia. It is the duty and honor of the Magic Council to ensure your safety from magical threats. The man we intend to execute today has been deemed too dangerous to keep alive. The following is a list of his crimes: infiltrating the Magic Council at the highest order; using his authority as a Council member to fire Etherion, the Council's most powerful magical weapon; secretly building a tower of magical lacrima using slave labor; and attempting to revive the Dark Wizard Zeref using Etherion's power. These are all crimes of the highest degree punishable by death. Thus, we sentence Jellal Fernandes to death."

Lahar went on to give the populace some details about Jellal's arrest, and at this point Erza had prepared her first strike.

A giant pink magic circle appeared in the air above the platform, showering the area around Jellal with blunt weapons. Clearly not expecting this kind of assault, Lahar and the two executioners were knocked out cold when the weapons fell on their heads.

Erza immediately followed up by leaping high onto the platform. She grabbed a very confused Jellal and hefted him up onto her shoulder. Then she jumped back down to the ground.

After the initial shock wore off, someone yelled, "Arrest her!" and all hell broke loose. Fairy Tail shoved their way through the crowd to cover Erza's escape. Terrified citizens shrieked and scattered every which way as the Magic Council's armed forces pursued their target in a furious swarm.

"Keep moving!" the Requip mage shouted back to her friends as she charged forward, keeping an arm firmly wrapped around Jellal's torso. "They have Rune Knights with them, so if you stay still, they'll trap you!" Brandishing her sword in her free hand, she parried attacks from the soldiers who came to intercept her. Her guildmates followed close behind, throwing out the occasional magic to deter their pursuers.

"Erza, what are you doing?" asked the bewildered man on her shoulder. "Why are you saving me?"

The redhead didn't glance at him as she replied, "We can save that conversation for later."

Studying her determined face, Jellal decided that it would be best to stay silent and let things play out for now.

Presently, Erza made it to the plaza entrance they had come from.

"Guh!" Jellal grunted as his face collided with something.

Erza looked at him in alarm. The impact from his collision had almost caused her to drop him.

That was when she noticed the wall of purple magic runes pressing against Jellal's cheek. She clenched her teeth in frustration. _Of course it wouldn't be that easy._

"What's wrong, Erza?" called Natsu as the rest of her team caught up.

"There's a wall of magic runes trapping Jellal in the plaza," she explained hurriedly. "If we don't get rid of these runes, we can't escape with him."

"Runes?" Lucy pondered for a second, then dashed into the approaching Fairy Tail group. A short while later, she returned with Levy. "Can you decode these runes, Levy?" she asked.

The Solid Script mage nodded. "I can, but I'll need some time."

Another voice broke in. "If there are runes, leave them to me." Freed had arrived at the front. "We should be able to disable them relatively quickly with the two of us."

"We need to cover them while they're doing that," Erza ordered. She whirled around to face the onslaught of Magic Council forces.

Gray had an idea. "Juvia, can you help me?" He turned to the water mage, extending a hand.

Juvia gasped and blushed, overjoyed at such a request. "Of course, Gray-sama," she answered, putting her hand in his.

The ice and water mages raised their joined hands to perform a Unison Raid. Together, they created a gigantic protective barrier of ice around the Fairy Tail guild members. The towering wall of ice was several layers thick, making it impossible for conventional weapons to penetrate. The Fairy Tail forces were completely sealed off from their Magic Council adversaries.

"Good job, guys!" Cheers erupted from the guild members.

Natsu scowled, disappointed. "I wanted to let loose some more, you ice bastard."

The Magic Council soldiers hacked at the barrier with the weapons in vain. Realizing that their efforts were futile, they called for their magic users to try to break through. Soon, the wall was bombarded with small magic attacks.

Individually, these basic spells did minimal damage to the great shield, but the magic users were wisely focusing on just one spot, and cracks began to appear in the ice shortly.

"It won't hold much longer!" yelled Gray.

"Are you guys almost done disabling the runes?" Erza inquired without turning around.

"Yes," answered Levy. She was grateful to have a master of runes like Freed with her in such a tense situation; if she were the only one responsible for providing them all with an exit, she was sure she'd crumble under the pressure.

The fractures in the wall were spreading, radiating out from a deepening hole the Council's magic users were drilling. The Fairy Tail members waited impatiently, every muscle in their bodies poised to fight if need be.

Right as the wall began to shatter, Levy and Freed finished rewriting the runes to allow Jellal through. "Done!" came the announcement.

"You should go on ahead, Erza," said Mirajane. "We'll try to delay them and then follow after you."

Erza nodded. "Thank you." She requipped into Flight Armor to boost her speed and barreled through the now-inert runes.


	5. Chapter 5

Master Makarov was sitting alone at a table in the empty guild hall when Erza came crashing through the double doors with Jellal slung over her shoulder.

"Welcome back, Erza," he greeted her, rising to his feet. "Where are the other brats?"

"They're delaying the Magic Council's army. Mirajane said they'd follow as soon as they were done," the redhead replied promptly. "Where do you propose we hide Jellal?"

The Master paused, considering. "Well, he certainly can't stay at our guild. The Council will undoubtedly come looking for him here…"

His musing was interrupted when the rest of the guild members burst through the entrance, many of them panting and out of breath.

Mirajane, who was unsurprisingly not winded, approached the Master. "Master, we had to rough up quite a few Magic Council soldiers to get back here safely," she said apologetically.

"So the guild will be quite noisy for the foreseeable future," predicted the old man. He addressed the other members, gesturing to the bluenette Erza was carrying. "Brats! Do any of you know of a place where Jellal can hide?"

Natsu stepped forward. "He can stay at our place, right, Happy?"

"Aye!" the blue cat agreed.

Lucy's eyes lit up. "That's actually not a bad idea, Natsu. Your house is a little out of the way, so the Council won't think to look there."

The Fire Dragon Slayer grinned widely. "And we'll stay at your place, Lucy!"

"Don't just decide that by yourself!" the blonde protested.

Makarov gave a nod of approval, turning to Erza. "Take Jellal to Natsu and Happy's house now. Keep him there until I can sort out this whole affair."

Jellal quietly whispered something to Erza, and she set him down on his feet. He faced nearly the entirety of Fairy Tail, the greatest guild in Magnolia, and felt every eye in the room focus on him. Gulping once, he bowed deeply in gratitude. "You have my thanks, Fairy Tail," he managed in a voice laced with emotion.

Whoops and cheers erupted among the crowd.

"Any friend of a guildmate is a friend of ours," the Master proclaimed warmly, holding up a hand in farewell. "And who knows, maybe you can join our guild someday. I see great potential in you, young man."

With a final faint, bashful smile adorning his features, the wanted criminal was whisked back onto the Fairy Queen's shoulder and out of the guild, the wind rustling his blue locks as they headed down the road to Natsu and Happy's house.


	6. Chapter 6

Erza set her childhood friend down in Natsu and Happy's shack. "Well…home sweet home," she announced awkwardly, surveying the mess before her. Pots and pans were piled high in the sink, clothes for every season were strewn about on the furniture, and opened snack bags were lying about on the floor. She chuckled nervously, turning to the bluenette. "You'll have to pardon the mess. Natsu and Happy aren't exactly the…cleanest of individuals."

Jellal shook his head quickly. "Oh no, I don't mind, really. They're providing me with a place to stay, after all."

"I can clean the place up a little for you," the redhead offered. "Here, lie down." She cleared a few jackets off of the couch and indicated the cushions. "You must be exhausted."

Hesitantly, Jellal climbed onto the couch and laid his head on the armrest. He glanced over at Erza, who was rummaging around in some cupboards. After a while, she came and sat down on the floor beside him, holding a roll of bandage cloth in her hand. She took the injured arm closest to her and gently began to dress his wounds.

He studied her face closely as she worked. There seemed to be a dark shadow over her eyes, and a hint of…was that anger? Her brows were furrowed and her jaw was tight. Her whole body shuddered slightly as her hands fought to maintain their control over the bandages. "Erza," he said softly, reaching his hand out to cup her cheek. "What's wrong?"

Quivering, she set the bandage cloth down on a nearby table. Then her face hardened and along came the explosion, fierce enough to match her fiery scarlet hair. "I can't believe they mistreated you like that in prison. What do they take their inmates for? If I'd known they would do this to you, I would've never…" She restrained herself from uttering her next words.

"Never what?" Jellal couldn't resist the compulsion to ask.

"Let them take you," she finished a bit more calmly.

His hazel eyes stared deep into her brown ones as he tried to console her. "It wasn't your fault, Erza. You had no choice."

"You're wrong, Jellal," Erza denied almost immediately. "I did have a choice. It was just the hardest one I'd ever had to make. And I don't think I'll ever know if I made the right choice or not."

"I just don't understand why you would go back on that choice by saving me now and even getting your guild involved," the bluenette admitted. "Even when I myself was prepared to die, prepared to accept whatever punishment they ended up giving me, you saved me once again. Why, Erza?" He searched the depths of her chocolate orbs, hoping to elicit the answer to his burning question.

A lengthy silence, and then the coveted reply. "I guess there's just one thing I'll never allow you to do. Betray me, okay. My pain was inconsequential compared to that of the others you'd hurt. Get arrested, fine. It was hard, but I could deal with that. But no matter what, I can't let you die. You can't atone for your past sins by dying, and no one, not even the Magic Council, has the right to decide otherwise."

She picked up the roll of bandages and resumed dressing his wounds with a deep sigh. "Anyway, I will stay with you here for as long as you need me to."

"I'll be fine, Erza," Jellal assured her with a small smile. "You can go back to your guild now if you want. I'm sure they'll need you."

A slender finger accidentally brushed against his bare chest as she moved on to dressing his torso, and he shivered involuntarily. She continued on, seemingly unaware of this unintentional contact, and soon she'd finished wrapping the majority of his upper body in the white cloth.

"You should get some sleep," she suggested, rising to her feet. She strode across the room and grabbed a blanket from the bed. "If you don't need anything else for now, I'll be back later with some food." She returned to his side and lightly covered him with the blanket.

"Thank you, Erza." The words poured out from the bottom of his heart.

The scarlet-haired beauty looked absolutely divine as she smiled and said, "You're welcome, Jellal."

Jellal watched her leave, eyes transfixed on her unforgettable long, scarlet tresses. The vivid color carried over into his dreams when he fell into a peaceful slumber.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Erza returned to the shack, the sun was already beginning to dip below the horizon. She crossed the threshold, carrying a rather large plastic bag chock-full of food in one hand.

A smile played along her lips when she caught sight of Jellal, who was still fast asleep on the couch. It was a simple yet remarkable sight to behold— for the first time since their reunion, he looked to be truly at peace. There was no trace upon his features of the pain or burden of his past sins which haunted him in his waking hours.

Erza couldn't suppress the blush that spread across her cheeks. _He's so handsome._ Oh no, had she actually just thought that? She covered her face in embarrassment with her free hand. Hoping to distract herself from the entirely-too-attractive man before her, she walked over to the fridge in the far corner of the room and started putting her groceries away.

The crown jewel in her bag was, of course, a whole strawberry cake. She didn't know how much of a sweet tooth Jellal was, but she'd figured some cake to celebrate his release from imprisonment couldn't hurt. It had taken all of her willpower just to restrain herself from sneaking a slice on the way here, though. Now she was beside herself with craving for her favorite food. Hurriedly putting the rest of the groceries away, she grabbed a plate and a fork from some cupboards, materialized a knife, and cut herself a generous slice of the sweet cake. She brought her prize back to the table by the couch and dug in.

It was hard not to glance at the sleeping bluenette as she ate; she was seated right beside him, after all. She hadn't thought it was possible for her attention to be split between strawberry cake and something else, but every second spent in such close proximity to him proved her wrong. Perplexed to the point of mild frustration, she eventually relinquished her plate and climbed onto the couch, perching on the armrest next to Jellal's head.

What was it about this man? No matter how many times she saw him, he remained an unsolved enigma in her mind. She studied his tranquil expression and wondered what he could possibly be dreaming about. Maybe she could better understand him if she…if she just…

Her hand came to rest in his messy blue locks. She gasped when he stirred slightly, but thankfully he didn't wake up. Slowly and tenderly, she ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the matted tresses parting at her touch.

She didn't know what had gotten into her when her lips parted and quiet words poured out into the still air. "You know, Jellal…earlier, I didn't tell you the main reason I won't allow you to die. The truth is…I care too much about you to let you die."

In his sleep, Jellal smiled in contentment. Erza's chocolate eyes mirrored the warmth in her heart upon seeing his lips curve upwards. She yawned— night had fallen outside. "Good night, Jellal," she murmured, getting off of the couch and sitting back down on the floor next to him. She closed her eyes and nodded off to sleep with her back against the couch.

When Jellal finally awoke the next morning after the best sleep he'd had in his life, Titania was gone, although he could still feel the ghost of her fingers tangled in his hair. On the table was a piece of strawberry cake and a neatly-written note. He picked up the small scrap of paper.

 _Find your true freedom. –Erza_

He smiled to himself and took a bite of cake.


	8. Chapter 8

From the moment the guild entered her view, Erza could tell that something was wrong. The large double doors were mostly obscured by a sizable congregation of figures in white cloaks. She gritted her teeth. _The Council is here already?_

As she approached, the Council soldiers shot her suspicious glares, moving to bar her entry to the guild. One of them worked his way to the front of the group, presumably to inform their leader of Erza's arrival. A few seconds later, he returned and told the others to let her through. She couldn't fail to notice their hostile looks as she passed, though.

At the head of the troops stood Captain Lahar, who was bending down slightly to address Makarov. Behind the Master, many pairs of curious, nervous eyes peeked out from a sliver of open doorway. The owners of the eyes revealed themselves as the door was opened to allow Erza inside.

"What's happening?" the Requip mage whispered once Mirajane had reduced the gap in the doorway to a sliver again.

"The Council came to talk with Master," Lucy answered in a hushed voice. "I think they've decided on a punishment for freeing Jellal."

The conversation outside was getting heated. Erza couldn't make out everything from her position, but she could see the open defiance present in the Master's stance.

Soon, the discussion reached a boiling point, becoming loud enough to be heard through the crack in the doorway.

"Give us Jellal Fernandes or we will order your guild to be disbanded."

"No." Makarov's refusal rang clear, cutting through the morning air.

Lahar straightened up, a hint of icy anger in his eyes. "Very well. I shall inform the Councilmen of your noncompliance." He turned away scornfully, signaling for his troops to march off.

Makarov watched them disappear into the horizon, then heaved a great sigh and entered the guild. The concerned guild members immediately crowded around him.

"Master, are we going to be disbanded?"

"Where will we go?"

"What's going to happen to us?"

The diminutive old man held up a hand for silence. When it was quiet, he spoke. "Don't get ahead of yourselves, brats. Nothing is for certain yet. I will try talking to Yajima. Even though he isn't a Councilman anymore, perhaps his words can still hold some sway among the members of the new Council." His expression grew fierce and determined. "Just remember that no matter what happens, we are members of Fairy Tail—we are a family. You all are my precious brats, and nothing will change that."

* * *

In the afternoon, Erza hurried off to Natsu and Happy's house. Her mind was still reeling from the morning's events. The guild had been unnaturally noiseless the whole day. Despite the Master's assurances, the guild members' worries had created a heavy atmosphere within the usually cheerful environment. She was mentally debating whether or not to tell Jellal about Fairy Tail's situation. On the one hand, she knew he would find out eventually if things kept going the way they were, so it would be pointless to delay breaking the news to him. On the other, she feared that he might blame himself for her guild's current troubles, and the last thing he needed right now was more guilt.

Composing herself, she knocked on the plain door of the shack. She'd brought another spacious plastic bag with her, but this time it was filled with a few sets of new clothes. He certainly needed more than his raggedy prison pants to cover himself up, not that she didn't like seeing his bare torso. Upon having such thoughts, her cheeks warmed.

Jellal opened the door and invited her inside. She almost chuckled when she saw him. He had a bath towel draped over his shoulders like a sort of makeshift cloak. She could tell from the fluffiness of his hair and the cleanliness of his body that he'd taken a much-needed shower earlier. _So cute._ He'd also evidently wrapped his wounds with fresh bandages. The only thing incongruous with his otherwise-neat appearance were his dirty prison pants.

Erza cleared her throat awkwardly and set her bag down on the table by the couch. "I brought some clothes for you, so you can finally get rid of those." She gestured to his tattered pants.

"Thanks." Jellal bowed his head in gratitude and rummaged through the bag, picking out a set of clothes. Erza turned away to allow him to change into his new attire. A part of her wanted to look, but she forced herself to resist the temptation.

The bluenette couldn't help but smile to himself as he got dressed. Erza knew him and his clothing preferences too well. The simple long-sleeved shirt and baggy pants suited his tastes. He especially appreciated the long, dark cloak she'd provided him with. He only wished that he could know her this well someday. Maybe in the future, when he'd regained his memory.

After he'd finished dressing, he disposed of his prison pants in a wastebasket and gave Erza the O.K. to turn around. She took a seat on the couch, motioning for him to do the same.

"…Is there something wrong?" Jellal eyed her questioningly.

The redhead bit her lip. "If I tell you, please promise me you won't blame yourself."

"I…will try," was his hesitant reply.

She knew she wouldn't get a better guarantee out of him, so she took a deep breath and continued, choosing her words carefully. "The Council came by the guild today. They ordered us to hand you over or face disbandment. Of course, we refused. So it's likely that Fairy Tail will be disbanded soon."

Jellal's hazel eyes widened. He gulped hard, trying to process what he'd just heard. "Fairy Tail…is being…disbanded?" he said slowly. Sorrow washed over his features. "Erza, I'm s—"

She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "No. You promised." Her tone was soft, yet firm. "We were all prepared for the consequences when we chose to save you. Okay?" She stared deep into his eyes, trying her damnedest to convey to him the message that it was not his fault.

Finally, he gave a single, small nod, his eyes still locked onto hers. She gently took his hands in her own. "I'm here if you need to talk."

* * *

As Jellal slept on the couch that evening, Erza sat by him and pondered over what she would do if the guild really was disbanded.

She gazed at his serene sleeping face. His memories would return sometime, and she knew that he was scared of that inevitability. She promptly remembered what she had told him just before he was arrested.

 _I'm with you._

Her soul filled with resolve, she closed her eyes. The future might be uncertain, but there was no question now of what she was going to do.


	9. Chapter 9

In the year X784, Magnolia's most famous guild, Fairy Tail, was disbanded.

Makarov and Yajima had done everything they could, but in the end, the Council had swung its iron hammer of justice. Aiding and sheltering an S-class criminal was inexcusable under any circumstances, they'd ruled.

Many tears were shed that morning. Those who had called the guild home from childhood were especially overcome with emotion. Some had plans for the immediate future, while others did not.

The best they could do now was to say their goodbyes to the guild and to each other. Hugs and well-wishes were exchanged, promises to old friends and long-overdue apologies to old rivals interchanged.

On her part, Erza felt it was necessary to apologize to Wendy, seeing as how she had just recently joined the guild and now it was being disbanded. She approached the Sky Dragon Slayer and knelt down to speak with her at eye level. "Wendy, I'm sorry. I know the guild's disbandment is especially unfair to you."

Wendy shook her head quickly. "No, Erza-san. It's okay, really. I owed Jellal-san too, and I'm glad we were able to save him."

"Are you going to be alright afterward?" the Requip mage asked, concerned.

The little girl nodded. "I think so. Natsu and Happy have already told Carla and me that we can come with them."

Erza spotted the Fire Dragon Slayer in the crowd and smiled gratefully. Looking back at Wendy, she leaned forward and gave her a warm hug. "Take care of yourself, okay? You're stronger than you think."

After leaving Wendy, the redhead strode over to her closest friends, who were gathered together as usual. She addressed Natsu first. "Thanks for offering to take Wendy with you. That was very kind of you."

The pink-haired Dragon Slayer beamed brightly. "No prob!"

Gray chuckled. "Even an idiot like him does something right once in a while."

Natsu's ears seemed to perk up. "What did you say, you droopy-eyed bastard?"

"Hey!" Erza snapped her fingers loudly, causing the two rivals to immediately cease their bickering and stand at attention. "So, what is your plan?"

Lucy answered for the group. "Well, we're going to stick together." She glanced pointedly at a certain water mage observing Gray from behind her favorite pillar. "Wendy and Juvia will be joining us. I don't know where we're going to go, but I think we'll be alright."

Erza couldn't resist teasing Natsu and Gray a little. "So you two won't be parting ways, then?"

Both of the guys scowled and faced away from each other in response.

The redhead smiled knowingly and pulled them into an embrace. "I'll miss you knuckleheads. Try not to fight so much—you'll inconvenience Lucy and the others. Take good care of Wendy."

The fire and ice mages hugged her back, albeit a bit awkwardly; they weren't quite used to this kind of treatment from Erza. After a while, they pulled back.

"You're not coming with us, then?" inquired Gray.

She shook her head. "I have to be there for Jellal when he gets his memories back. Natsu, Happy, you can have your house back. We'll be leaving town shortly." Turning to Lucy, she said, "I don't suppose you'd like a hug?"

The blonde laughed a little and politely held up a hand in rejection. "I'm good." Then her tone became more sincere. "I'm glad I got to meet such an amazing person as you, Erza. Hopefully we can meet again one day."

Erza nodded in agreement. "On the contrary, it was my honor to get to know you, Lucy." She indicated Natsu and Gray with a slight movement of her head. "Keep those idiots in line, will you?"

"I'll try my best," was Lucy's nervous reply.

The clinking of a spoon on a glass resonated throughout the guild hall. "Be quiet, everyone! Master has something to say before we leave!" commanded Mirajane.

Silence fell. Makarov stood on the guild's stage, holding a microphone and gazing out at the legion of melancholy faces before him. "First of all, I want to tell you all that I'm sorry. I couldn't prevent this from happening, and that is my fault as Master." He paused to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat. "While it's true that we might be disbanding today, it is equally true that we'll always be Fairy Tail. We'll always be a family, no matter where our individual paths may take us in the future. And I have faith that we will be reunited one day, so don't think this is goodbye forever. Never forget that I love you, brats." Tears and snot were dripping freely down his face as he held up his thumb and forefinger high in the sign that would let them all know he'd be watching over them.

Nearly a hundred arms raised into the air, mirroring the sign. Sobs and cries rang out within the walls of the guild, creating a bittersweet cacophony. This moment would be forever engraved within the heart of every member present as Fairy Tail's final shared memory.

After the Master had finished his farewell speech, the members slowly started shuffling out of the building in groups. Erza approached the stage and bowed deeply to the old man. "Master…thank you for taking care of me for all these years."

"Raise your head, Erza. I'm proud to call you my child." Makarov sniffled, then reached forward and hugged her as much as he could with his tiny arms. She squeezed back, tightly.

That embrace could never have lasted long enough. Too soon, it was time to leave. Erza brushed a hand fondly over a pillar on her way out. So many memories made in this place throughout so much of her life. So many friends to brighten up her days. This was a guild of change, of new beginnings. She, for one, had gone from a frightened, recently-liberated child slave to the Queen of the Fairies. One could truly change his or her fate upon joining this guild.

When she got outside, she found her most loyal friends (plus Juvia and Wendy) waiting for her. They said their last goodbyes and went their separate ways.

* * *

Erza entered the shack and encountered Jellal, who already had his hood up and a backpack slung over his shoulders. She'd filled him in on the situation before she'd gone to the guild that morning. She was glad to see that he was ready to go, according to plan.

Jellal averted his eyes from the scarlet-haired beauty, glancing at the floor. "Are you sure you want to come with me, Erza?"

"Yes, Jellal. I promised you," she assured him gently. She donned her own considerably heavier backpack. "Now, come on," she beckoned, extending a hand to him. When he took it, she led him out into the bright sunlight.

It was time to begin their own new adventure.


	10. Chapter 10

They made good headway from the very first day of their travels. The goal was to quickly get as far away from Era as possible. Jellal was a wanted man, and with its influence over the world of magic, the Council would surely spread news of his escape to nearby towns.

For safety's sake, the childhood friends avoided large towns, instead opting to navigate the expansive forests and rocky terrain separating them. Presently, they found their path blocked by a sheer cliff face.

Both of them mounted a foothold and began climbing, but it wasn't long before Jellal winced, tightened his grip on the rock with one hand, and clutched his abdomen with the other.

Erza paused and looked at him, concerned. "Are you okay, Jellal?"

"I'm fine." He smiled unconvincingly. "I just need some time to catch my breath."

The redhead knew better. _His wounds haven't fully healed yet._ She thought for a moment and came up with a solution. A bright light radiated from her as she requipped into her Giant Armor. "Take my hand," she said, extending an arm to Jellal.

He shook his head in response. "I said I was fine. I don't want to trouble you any more than I already have."

Frowning, Erza reached out and grabbed his arm, ignoring his protests. She secured her footholds and her single handhold, pulling him close to her. He was now dangling by his arm behind her, completely detached from the wall.

The bluenette gulped nervously, glancing down at the forest so far below. What was she about to do?

"I'm going to throw you now," she informed him matter-of-factly. "I should be able to get you at least most of the way to the top. Use your Meteor to fly the rest of the way if you need to."

Before he could fully process her words, Erza wound up and launched him into the air. Wind generated from his sudden acceleration crashed into his face, blowing his hair back. The brown and gray surface of the cliff whizzed past his vision, and then a flash of blue sky. At this visual cue, he activated his Meteor for a short horizontal burst and alighted on the top of the cliff. Erza's throw had been more perfect than she'd anticipated.

He blinked a few times and collapsed to his knees, adrenaline still setting his senses abuzz. The Fairy Queen was so bold, so forward, and yet he couldn't help but admire that about her. Her spontaneity was incredibly, inexplicably refreshing. _Never a dull moment,_ he thought with a smile.

Only a few minutes passed before an armored hand appeared at the edge of the cliff near where he was sitting. He got to his feet and bent down to help Erza up the rest of the way.

"Thank you," she said softly with a smile like warm sunshine.

"No, I should be thanking you," he replied. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he realized that he was still holding her hand in both of his. He let go abruptly and turned his head away, a faint pink coloring his cheeks.

Erza retracted her hand and chuckled to herself at Jellal's shyness. "Let's go," she said, hoping to end his moment of awkwardness. He hurriedly agreed, and they continued on their way.

The rest of the day passed quite uneventfully. When they reached a waterfall which led into a river at sundown, Erza suggested that they stop and camp there for the night. They gathered wood and made a fire. She unpacked their sleeping bags and some food from her bulging backpack.

It was dark after they'd finished eating. Jellal sat cross-legged, gazing up at the night sky. Erza joined him, tracing his gaze to the countless stars twinkling in the grand blue canvas. Each of them had so much to say to the other, but their words were better left unspoken in this peaceful silence that they wished would stretch into eternity.

They remained like this for several hours. Just two childhood friends, almost-lovers, stargazing together beneath the majesty of the heavens.

At long last, they looked at each other, her chocolate brown eyes meeting his deep hazel ones. She gave him a knowing Mona Lisa smile, and he smiled back as she took his hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"Good night, Jellal."

"Good night, Erza."


	11. Chapter 11

After a quick breakfast, Erza and Jellal were back on the path away from the Council. More forests, more rocks, more hills, but thankfully no more steep cliffs stood in their way. Neither of them was bold enough to initiate a conversation after the events of the past night. Jellal made a point of walking a few paces behind Erza at all times. Occasionally, he snuck a glance at her from his comfortable distance, and she checked back on him from time to time as well.

At around noon, they happened upon a small village bordering a great forest. Erza figured, since the village was so remote, that they could safely stop there for food and drink before continuing on. Just to be extra cautious, she told Jellal to stay at the outskirts of the village while she got some food.

He waited at his post nervously, keeping his eyes peeled for would-be assailants after his blood. He could never be too careful these days. A part of him wished that things didn't have to be this way, that he could just live free, traveling the world with Erza forever without a care in the world. But the realist in him reminded him that this constant fear was also a part of his punishment. Compared to the unfathomable terror he'd caused during his years of corruption, this slight gnawing in the back of his mind was nothing. Of course, he couldn't remember that period of his life, and he dreaded the eventual return of those memories. Had he scared Erza, too? Had she seen him as a monster? The notion made him sick inside.

His train of worrisome thoughts was interrupted by the approach of two peculiar passersby. Both of them wore long cloaks with hoods like his, so their faces were obscured until they were right next to him.

Right when they drew level with him, one of the figures turned toward him. He caught a glimpse of a young woman's face, pale-skinned, with heavy red lipstick accentuating her lips and brown eyes that seemed to glow red with malice. Long strands of raven hair shifted softly around as she swiveled her head to face him. Her childlike, pink-haired companion peered curiously out at him from under her hood, green eyes wide with curiosity. The raven-haired woman smirked at Jellal knowingly, and then the strangers were gone as quickly as they had come.

The woman's red gaze burned its afterimage into Jellal's retinas. He suddenly got the odd feeling that he knew her from somewhere. He shouldn't have— she was a complete stranger…or was she? A sequence of images flashed before him in his mind's eye like a manic film reel. A high, dark tower; a horrifying, ghostly apparition with a single eye; a broad-shouldered man with a metal mouthpiece. He cried out and sank to his knees, clutching his head.

This was the piteous position Erza found him in when she returned. She immediately ran over to him and set the bowls of stew she'd acquired on the ground. She laid a hand on his shoulder firmly, turning him to face her. "Jellal, what's wrong? What happened?"

The bluenette gritted his teeth, his expression strained. After a short, tense pause, he spoke. "My memories…I think they've started to return. A woman passed me on the road, and it triggered something. She…I feel like I've seen her before."

The redhead furrowed her brows and studied his face contemplatively. "This woman…would you like to go after her?"

Jellal's eyes grew wide in surprise. "What? I don't even know who she is. She could very well be dangerous. I can't put you in that kind of—"

Erza cut him off with a small chuckle. "What do you think I did at the guild all these years? Every mission we undertook together was dangerous. This could be your chance to get answers about your lost memories. Now, which way did they go?"

He indicated the direction the mysterious woman and her juvenile partner had gone with his pointer finger.

Titania nodded in confirmation. "Okay. We can follow them…after we eat." She practically shoved a bowl of stew into his hands.

Jellal took a bite and stared down the dirt path snaking into the distance. He would follow it, whether it led him to hope…or despair. For this, too, was his destiny.


	12. Chapter 12

Neither Jellal nor Erza had much experience with tracking, so they tried their best to predict which way the duo of strangers had gone using their intuition. They traveled doggedly for the rest of the day, stopping only for sustenance. Jellal was hungrier for answers than he cared to admit, and Erza was hell-bent on helping him find them.

As dusk fell, the childhood friends stopped to camp in a clearing near another river. They set about gathering firewood and laying out their sleeping bags. After lighting a fire and eating some dry food from the stocks in their backpacks, they bid each other good night.

Jellal stared, captivated, at the beautiful scarlet curtain of Erza's hair illuminated by the dancing flames until he drifted off to sleep.

Usually, sleep was the one place he could retreat to escape the predatory fear and worry that plagued him in his daily life. Looking at Erza before he slept offered him an extra sense of security and tranquility.

But tonight was different. He found himself walking through the landscape of his dreams, which was tainted by an unpleasant, swirling black haze. Squinting through the haze, he could make out the shadows of images framed by circular shapes, past events struggling to claw their way to the surface. He felt like if he reached out, he might be able to pull some of them out. Outstretching his hand, he braced himself for whatever horrors they depicted.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw in the first memory bubble he withdrew.

She was crying. Crying and holding the limp body of the man with a metal mouthpiece he'd briefly glimpsed after his encounter with the mysterious woman. His heart clenched in pain for her as he watched the tragic scene play out. _Who had made her cry?_

His stomach sank; he'd already known the answer to that question before he'd mentally asked it. His dreaded suspicions were confirmed when he witnessed his twisted self within the memory, standing over the most precious person in his life and mocking her friend's death with a grin on his face.

"Monster! You monster!" he shouted over and over at his memory-self, slamming both fists against the bubble. Despite being a bubble, it was as hard as steel, and the impact of hitting it jarred him.

And then the monster turned toward him with a piercing gaze that struck him to the bone with terror. It opened its mouth to speak.

"You are me. You are the monster."

Its black-gloved hand emerged from within the bubble and seized Jellal's neck in a vise-like grip. He choked and gasped for air as it squeezed down, using him as a handhold to pull the rest of its body through the translucent surface. When it was all the way out, it stood before him, a carbon copy of himself, the monster who had laughed at Erza's pain. With its free hand, it touched his chest with a black finger, pointing right at his heart.

The appendage began to twist and deform, melting into oozing black liquid, scalding hot to the touch. Jellal screamed in agony as the liquid burned him, passing through his skin and seeping into his heart. The maniacal thing was merging with him, infecting his body with its evil and cackling all the while. He could feel its darkness spreading through his veins, killing whatever light he still had inside him. Its features contorted into something horribly unrecognizable as they dissolved, its wide smile dripping down its face and becoming more of the black substance, funneling into his veins. "No…no…no!" was all he could manage to scream.

A cry split the still night air as he awoke with a start. Panicked by his nightmare, he scanned the campsite for Erza. When he found her sleeping bag empty, the icy fingers of fear gripped him. He barreled blindly through the forest, paying no attention to the branches and barbs that whipped and stung him. Presently, he reached the river.

The sight he beheld there caused his heart to skip a beat.

Erza's silhouette was framed against the river by the pale glow of the moonlight. Her long, striking red tresses hung down to the water's surface and floated there. Were his eyes deceiving him? The vision of her was so divine, so otherworldly, that he thought he'd stumbled upon a mythical creature of some sort. Startled by the noise of his sudden encroachment, she turned to face him, and their eyes met.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then her cheeks reddened, and she crouched down in the water and covered her exposed chest with her arms. "J-Jellal," she stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

The bluenette glanced away from her nude form hurriedly, a shy blush blossoming across his face. "Sorry," he apologized in embarrassment. "I had a nightmare, and when I woke up, you were gone, and I panicked, and…" He was speaking uncharacteristically rapidly and incoherently.

Wordlessly, the redhead climbed out of the river and grabbed a towel she'd packed from a nearby rock. She quickly dried herself off, then wrapped the towel around her chest. She slowly approached Jellal, every step gentle and deliberate. When she was right in front of him, she reached her arms around his back and pulled him into a warm embrace. His eyes widened, and he gazed down at her in surprise.

He was certain that his heart was drumming a tattoo into his chest, and all of his senses seemed to increase tenfold. He wanted to take in her every detail before she released him, to experience every sensation of Erza Scarlet while he still had the chance. She had an ear against his chest and her eyes closed, listening intently to the rhythm of his heartbeat. His eyes flitted around, admiring her porcelain skin, her long eyelashes, her plump pink lips, her scarlet hair still glistening with water from her midnight bath. He drew a deep breath through his nose, intoxicating himself with her heavenly scent. He wanted to wrap his arms around her too, but his arms paused in their movement to do so, hesitating. _This is wrong._

"Erza…" he murmured, anguish in his tone.

She tilted her head and looked up at him with her large, chocolate-brown orbs. "It's okay. Tell me about your nightmare," she urged in a voice barely above a whisper.

Jellal lowered his arms, which were still awkwardly frozen in the air from their hesitation. He couldn't stifle the tremor in his words as he asked, "Who is the man with the metal mouthpiece?"

Sadness washed over her fair features. "That's Simon. He's the one that you killed. He was a friend of ours in our childhood."

"Erza...I killed him and made you cry." He couldn't restrain the tears from pouring down his face now. "Don't you think…I'm a monster?"

He was silenced by the comforting touch of her hand on his cheek. There was no trace of bitterness upon her countenance. "The Jellal I know, the Jellal standing before me and crying now, is no monster. There is good in you, and I never stopped believing that even during that time." Her hand slipped down gingerly from his cheek and alighted on his chest, where she placed her index finger on his heart. "There is good in you, right here."

This elicited a sharp intake of air from him. His heart soared as her touch filled it with hope and light that raced through his veins, making him feel as if he could fly off the ground at any moment. So elated was he that his once-tentative arms wrapped themselves around Erza's body and hugged her against him tightly. When he finally regained his composure, he promptly let go of her. "Thank you," he said, smiling gratefully. "And…I'm truly sorry about Simon."

She smiled back with all of the kindness and warmth he'd come to expect from her. "I know you are. That's who Jellal is." She started heading back to the campsite. When she was at the edge of the forest, she paused and turned to look at him, her gorgeous smile still adorning her lips. "Your heart was beating pretty fast, by the way."


	13. Chapter 13

Punctual as always, Jellal and Erza awoke with the dawn. After a simple, quick breakfast, they started to make their way out of the forest. Fate, however, gave them a sign which made them stop in their tracks not far from where they had camped.

Erza pointed skyward, indicating the thin wisps of smoke ascending into the air in the near distance. "That could very well be them," she speculated, glancing sidelong at the bluenette. "Are you ready?"

Jellal met her gaze, nodding resolutely. The time had come to face the truth of his past.

She squeezed his hand reassuringly before they headed in the direction of the smoke. In a short while, the glint of a small campfire came into view. Luck was on their side; the two female strangers were seated around the campfire, discussing something.

As the childhood friends drew nearer, they caught snippets of the strangers' conversation. "Rendezvous…airship…Master Hades…Tenroujima…"

The redhead's eyes widened in shock at the last word. _Tenroujima? What business could these people have at Fairy Tail's sacred island?_

They were quite close to the women now, almost to the edge of the clearing where they'd set up camp. Erza signaled with her hand for Jellal to crouch down behind the foliage surrounding the encampment. They crouched as quietly as they could, observing the strangers through the gaps in the bushes. Both of the women's faces were in plain view, as they weren't wearing their cloaks at the moment.

Recognition suddenly hit Erza like a slap in the face. _Councilwoman Ultear?_ "I know her," she mouthed to Jellal, gesturing at the raven-haired woman.

The woman's body suddenly tensed, and she shushed her pink-haired companion, standing and scanning the clearing with eyes narrowed.

"What is it, Ultear?" the girl inquired, rising to her feet as well.

"I thought I heard something," Ultear replied. "We may not be alone here."

"Do you want me to check the perimeter?" her partner offered.

Ultear held up a hand in rejection. "No need. I'll check myself." With a wave of her arm, the vegetation in and around the clearing rapidly aged, decaying to the point of death in mere moments. The trees and bushes were drained of color, becoming withered and black and losing all of their leaves. The bush Erza and Jellal were huddled behind was reduced to a pitiful skeleton of thin branches, exposing them to plain view.

The two childhood friends stood up abruptly, Erza with a sword at the ready and Jellal holding a palm outward, poised to use his magic if necessary.

The raven-haired woman laughed upon spotting the blue-haired man. "I was wondering when you'd catch up to us, Jellal."

Titania glared at her, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "Councilwoman Ultear. I thought you were—"

"Dead?" Ultear finished for her, her blood-red lips curving up in a smile. "Well, that _was_ what I was going for."

The pink-haired youth materialized a pair of teal magic blades in the air above her, aiming them at the uninvited guests. "Do I need to eliminate them, Ultear?"

Ultear shook her head. "Actually, I was hoping for this. I'd like to have a little chat with Jellal. Meredy, you can go on ahead to the rendezvous point. I'll be along shortly."

"But Ul, there are two of them. Will you really be okay?" the girl called Meredy said doubtfully.

The woman's face contorted with rage. "I told you not to call me that," she growled. "Don't make me tell you again. Now, go on."

"I'm sorry, Ultear. It won't happen again," Meredy apologized. She turned to leave, but not before affixing a bracelet of pink magic with a heart design in the center to Ultear's wrist. An identical bracelet appeared on her own wrist. "Just as a precaution," she explained.

Ultear smiled and gave her a short hug. "Thank you, Meredy."

After Meredy had left the camp, Ultear doused the campfire with some water. Then she took a seat again and invited Erza and Jellal to do the same. They nodded at each other in agreement, then sat down across from the raven-haired woman, although Erza kept a firm grip on her sword.

"You've come for answers, haven't you, Jellal?" Ultear began, chuckling darkly. "It must be hard, not remembering any of the atrocities you committed in the past." She addressed Erza next. "And you. I heard about how Fairy Tail saved him from his execution. Such an obnoxious guild, as always."

Jellal asked the burning question that had been at the tip of his tongue. "Who is she, Erza?"

The Requip mage didn't take her eyes off of Ultear as she answered, "She's a former Councilwoman. When you were…not yourself, you claimed that she was your co-conspirator within the Council. But you also said that she sacrificed her life to help you achieve your goal of reviving Zeref."

Ultear abruptly burst into a fit of hysterical laughter, deeply disturbing both of the childhood friends. When she'd regained her composure and wiped the mirthful tears from her eyes, she questioned Erza, "What else did he say about me? I'm intrigued."

Erza frowned as she recalled the exact terminology Jellal had used to describe Ultear during his period of madness. "He called you a stupid woman."

"Did he, now?" said the raven-haired woman, amused. A wide grin stretched her lips from ear to ear. Her sharp brown eyes took on their signature malicious red glow as she looked straight at Jellal and mockingly lamented, "Poor, poor fool. I must've turned your brain to mush when I took control of you."

"Took control? W-what are you talking about?" stammered Jellal.

Titania was equally confused. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Ultear ignored Erza's hostile gaze. "Perhaps I should show you to jog your memory," she mused languidly. She raised an arm with her palm facing upward, and an ethereal mass of purple and red magic began to emerge from her hand, writhing and pulsing as if it were alive.

When its full form was revealed, Jellal recoiled instinctively. It was the ghostly, one-eyed apparition from his brief flash of memories. The very sight of it made bile rise in his throat, and he had to fight the urge to vomit.

Realization dawned on Erza upon studying the strange entity more closely, and her free hand moved to clutch her sword hilt. The creature's single eye resembled Jellal's right eye after he'd gone insane as a child in the Tower of Heaven. She'd thought that it was Zeref who had corrupted his mind, but now she knew that the true culprit was right before her.

"It was you manipulating Jellal all along," she seethed through clenched teeth. Despite her best attempts to maintain a steady tone, her voice rose in volume as she continued to hurl accusations at Ultear. "You cost him eight years of freedom that he can never get back. You made him deceive our friends and use them for labor. You made him kill Simon. You're the reason he's considered a criminal now." By this point, she was full-on yelling, every muscle in her body strung taut with wrath. "You ruined his life!"

"Oh yes." Ultear seemed to relish the Fairy Queen's barrage of angry accusations. "He was the best tool I'd ever had." She paused, putting a slender finger to her lips. "And while we're here, let me let you in on another little secret." She leaned in close and whispered, "His plan was never meant to succeed in the first place. Zeref was never even dead. I just used him to get one of the keys needed to release Zeref from his seal."

Blood was singing in Erza's ears, goading her on to slaughter this woman mercilessly. Her self-control was dwindling by the minute, replaced by pure bloodlust. She wanted to make her pay, to make her suffer as much as Jellal, Simon, and the rest of her friends had suffered for all of those years in the dark tower.

The last straw came when Ultear manipulated the one-eyed ghost with her hand, making it drift toward Jellal, who went pale and trembled in terror from head to toe. "How about it, Jellal? Want to be my tool for another eight years? I'm sure we can find another equally menial task for you to perform."

Without warning, Erza lunged at the raven-haired woman, swinging her sword forcefully with both hands. She sliced through the horrifying apparition emanating from Ultear's palm, causing it to dissipate. The tip of her sword grazed Ultear's neck, drawing blood; if Ultear hadn't dodged backward at the last second, she would've been decapitated.

Ultear scrambled to her feet, panting heavily and clutching her bleeding neck. Soon enough, Erza was upon her again. The Fairy Queen had requipped into her chest bandages and flame-patterned pants, discarding all defense to wield her most powerful sword, Benizakura. Ultear didn't have enough time or space to use her Arc of Time, so she reactively shielded herself with Ice Make magic.

 _Ice Make?_ Erza hesitated for a second, which bought Ultear enough time to put some distance between her and her enraged assailant. She retreated to the far side of the clearing. When Erza saw her enemy escaping, however, her momentary confusion evaporated, and she dashed toward the raven-haired woman with her sword behind her, ready to deal another devastating strike.

This time, Erza's blow was blocked by Meredy, who had returned as swiftly as she could after feeling the sting of Erza's blade against Ultear's neck via their matching bracelets, her Sensory Link magic. The pink-haired youth struggled to push Erza back with dual magic blades.

"Move aside, child," Titania warned, applying more force to her blade. "You don't know what this woman has done."

"No," the girl grunted, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "I won't let you hurt my Ultear." Her magic blades were beginning to crack under the immense pressure of Erza's strongest weapon.

"Erza, look out!" Jellal shouted as he glimpsed a round projectile flying out at the redhead from behind Meredy's back. He shot a few beams of light from his palm, directing them toward the object. They collided with it, and it shattered into several pieces, causing Meredy and Erza to separate from each other.

Ultear waved her hand, and the pieces floated into the air, coalescing back into their complete form, a crystal ball. Erza, still consumed by fury, prepared to charge at her again, and Meredy assumed a defensive stance in response.

But before the Requip mage could launch another reckless assault, Jellal was at her side, grabbing her forearm firmly. "Erza, stop," he ordered quietly. "No good will come of fighting them here like this."

Erza whirled to face him incredulously. "She hurt you and all of our friends. How can you, of all people, be so calm? Aren't you angry about what she did to you?"

Jellal bit his lip hard. "Of course I'm angry," he replied. "But right now, we can't let our emotions get the better of us. If you keep charging in like that, you're going to die." He glared at Ultear and Meredy. "Go," he commanded coldly.

"See you on Tenroujima," were Ultear's parting words, delivered with a wicked grin. In a few moments, the two women were gone.

Erza collapsed to her knees, breathing hard and dropping her sword, which vanished upon hitting the ground. Jellal gently put an arm around her shoulders, hoping to quell her wrath. When her rage finally subsided, she buried her face in his chest and broke into sobs. He held her against him, stroking her back soothingly. "It's okay, Erza. It's okay."

"It's all her fault," she cried into his shirt, pounding her fists against his chest softly. "And to think that at one point, I blamed you for everything. I'm sorry, Jellal. I'm so, so sorry."

He shushed her. "This doesn't excuse me from atoning for my actions. I may not have been in control, but it was still my body that committed all of those atrocities. It was still these hands that killed Simon. And I don't think the rest of the world would believe me if I told them that I was being possessed, anyway."

Erza smiled through her tears. "You're being too hard on yourself, Jellal." She gazed up into his eyes, adding, "The rest of the world can believe what it wants. I'll always believe in you."

After a while more of enjoying each other's comforting warmth, the two of them got to their feet.

"They said they were heading to Tenroujima," said Erza, back to her old task-oriented self. "They also said that they were going to rendezvous with someone. Judging by those statements, I'd say that they're planning to bring their forces to attack Tenroujima and accomplish something there."

"Then we must warn Fairy Tail," Jellal proclaimed. "We will need their help if we are to have any hope of defending the island."

Titania nodded in agreement. "It looks like we will all be seeing each other again a lot sooner than expected."


End file.
